Apparatus for printing newspapers and the like



W. W. DAVIDSON April 15, 1952 APPARATUS FOR PRINTING NEWSPAPERS AND THE LIKE Filed May 16. 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET l .mll

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April 15, 1952 w. w. DAVIDSON 2,593,118

APPARATUS FoR PRINTING NEWSPAPERS AND TRE LIKE Filed May 16, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET' 2 3 printing plate carried thereby is in engagement with the blanket of the small diameter cylinder the ink image of the printing plate is transferredto the blanket. Also, during the aforesaid half revolution of the rst large diameter cylinder the plate carried by the plate segment of the second large diameter cylinder is in engagement with the blanket carried by the blanket segment of the first large diameter cylinder so that the ink image of such printing plate is transferred to the blanket on the rst large diameter cylinder. A sheet to be printed on both sides is then fed between the printing couple formed by the first large diameter cylinder and the small diameter cylinder whereby in the following half revolution of the first large diameter cylinder and the full revolution of the small diameter cylinder the blankets carried by the cylinders last referred to are in register and effect the simultaneous printing of oppositesides of the sheet passing therebetween of the ink images on the pair of blankets. During the printing of a sheet, the second large diameter cylinder is rotated a half revolution with the plate carried thereby being dampened and inked by the dampening and inking mechanism associated therewith preparatory to the next transfer of the inked image to the blanket of the first large diameter cylinder. As disclosed hereinafter single dampening and inking means operative to dampen and ink both plates of the two large diameter cylinders may be provided although such an arrangement is preferable for use only if the amount of printed matter on both sides of the sheet is of a small amount.

The construction of a perfecting oifset printing machine of the above character may for all practical purposes conform to my above referred to patent with that machine being modified to incorporate the second large diameter cylinder in the manner noted. In the machine of the patent referred to there is provided a chain delivery mechanism for carrying a sheet to be printed between the printing couple and to deliver the sheet optionally With either side disposed upwardly. Such a construction is preferable for purposes of my instant invention for reasons to be noted in the detail description of `a preferred embodiment of my present invention. It is to be noted that although the printing press above described is continuously driven that the printed sheets will be delivered by the machine at spaced intervals or intermittently which function of the machine will hereinafter appear is utilized in the making or producing of newspapers, pamphlets or catalogues and the like.

I have conceived that a newspaper or the like may be readily printed and assembled by providing a plurality of perfecting offset printing presses such as of the character above noted ar. ranged in lengthwise aligned relation with respect to a conveyor and upon which conveyor each of the printing machines discharges a printed sheet, and with the movement of the conveyor being related to delivery of the printed sheets from the several printing machines so that newspapers comprising one printed sheet from each printing machine are collated. on the conveyor.

It is therefore an object of my present invention to provide apparatus for making newspapers or the like embodying means for simultaneously printing successivepluralities of sheets and depositing the successive pluralities of printed sheets in a row at predetermined intervals and during the intervals between the deposit of successive pluralities of sheets means of advancing the row a predetermined distance.

More specifically it is an object of my invention to provide apparatus as aforesaid in which the row of printed sheets is advanced during the intervals between the delivery of successive pluralities of printed sheets to collect at the end of the row toward which it is advanced successive groups in which each group consists of one sheet from each plurality of printed sheets arranged in superposed relation.

The mode of operation of the above described offset printingrpress lends itself to the accomplishrnent of the aforesaid objects in that while the machine operates continuously printed sheets are delivered intermittently in predetermined timed sequence due to the aforedescribed rotation of the cylinders in the transferring of the inked images from the plates to the blankets and of the printing of the sheets by the passage thereof between the printing couple when the pair of blankets are in register. Thus in such a printing press a printed sheet is delivered thereby followed by an interval before the next printed sheet is delivered although the machine operates or runs continuously. During this interval the conveyor upon which the sheet printed by the rst machine is disposed may be caused to be advanced to a second perfecting machine which is operated synchronously with or on the same cycle as the first press to be in position to receive the sheet printed by the second press in superposed relation with the sheet on the conveyor delivered by the first printing press. Any desired number of such perfecting printing presses may be arranged in series lengthwise of the conveyor with the several printing presses operating on the same cycle of operation to provide during the time the printing machines are each printing a sheet for advancement of the conveyor -so that the several machines except for the first machine deliver a printed sheet in superposed relation upon sheets already collected by the intermittent advancement of the conveyor from the preceding printing press or presses. The rst printing press always delivers a printed sheet directly onto the conveyor with the operation of the other printing machines and conveypr being such that each succeeding printing press delivers a sheet in superposed relation with respect to the sheet delivered by the preceding printing press.

The complete newspaper is delivered at the end of the conveyor adjacent the last printing machine. It will be understood that the perfecting printing presses are designed to print the desired size of sheets and may for example be adapted to print a sheet which when subsequently centrally folded forms four pages of a newspaper. The perfecting offset presses oimy present invention may for example be designed to produce newspapers of small size of the order of present forms of small tabloid types of newspapers.

It is a further object of my invention to provide apparatus as aforesaid in which the pluralities of printed sheets each comprise aplurality of pages and including means of folding each group of the collected sheets to form a serial arrangement of pages of a newspaper or the like.

In accomplishing this object and assuming a twelve page newspaper is to be printed the apparatus may comprise three printing machines of 5 a' character` in which. each printed sheet come prises fourpages and with the printing Presses being arrangedl with` respect toY the.` conveyor be4 collected in groups of three Sheets, olie,- f'roi'd 'f each of the presss. I propose to. embodyvin the apparatus a Suitable folding mechanism t0. fold.

the groups. ofY sheets` centrally as they are.` col*-V lected at the end of the;` conveyor to tormf a twelve page newspaper.

From the ioregoing it; will` be readilyA understood that any desired number of printing ma.-

ohines.. for printing sheets comprising the. de*v sired number of pages. may be provided together with an appropriate interconnection ci' cycle of Now. in, order to., acquaint: those' skilled in the,

art. withjthe. manner ofil coristruating` and; utiliz--. ing an apparatus embodying the principles; of:

my; present invention,` I'. shall describe in con* nection withthe accompanyingv drawings; ai mie# ferredi embodiment or the apparatus; of? innen-- tion,...A y

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a:` side eleyationali view of'. arr ap;-I

paratus constructed in. accordance ines.-`

eht.v invention;

Figure. 21s an endeievauonai view or therignt hand end-.l of; the apparatusA of.' Figure. 1i partly-a broken away toillustrate in` elevation atportionr.

the apparatus of my inyention;

Figure 3 illustrates a. plurality. off printed.

` sheets, for example,` threesheets. as;inrthef.erx1..V

bodiment chosenl for purposes of; disclosing my invention,A with each sideaof, the sheets. haring two pases printed thereon.. disposed: im a. rowi. whichL forms a stepofthemethodf ini/,finycni-` tion, and which number ot, printedr sheets; they printing presses of ythe apparatus; of; Eig-hres 1; and 2 and are adapted1 to;r` print` and@ deliverfsuc.v oessively at predetermined;intervals;

VFigure. 4 illustrates theA mannen` in.Vv whicnt a. plurality-z of printed. sheets;L forA example.. three: sheets, with both sides of` each sheethayingtwo; pagesprinted thereon are adapted, tobegroup d: insuperposed relation by the apparatus;of` invention and .whichgro'uping ot the sheetsfcomrprises af-urther step of the method crf-rnyinstant. invention; and

Figure 5 illustrates a collected group ofr sheetsy ofligure 4 folded centrallyalonggthe dottedlines thereof to l form. a. twelve page? newspaifierz or.y the.: like.

Referring now. to the drawingsl have shoivnin, Figures` 1 and, 2, an apparatus constructedz in accordance `with my invention comprising.; 9,5 con,

veyorI 5L supported at... a.. convenienttllieightg a.` Aye? the Il oor by a pluralityoflegsTforming, in part al Supporting framework..f.or. the apparatus'. and.

above which. conveyory a D,..111,rality. of; peritecting.l

oiset presses 8,A 9, and Ill',4 are, disposed;y and; Suit;A ably. filmportal.` TherreSses-.. 9;. andl1llare-a1lf off like, construction.. andiny. the mainmay be ,offg they construction shown.. in my. above refer, dito; patent.. withA the4 exception oithe;v provision;` of;V

theA additional cylinder p'reviouslyf referr df to and ,to be hereinafter.desoribedlin greatendetail. It;l willibe. understood;thetzwhla I. haileeshwll three printing oressea--` that. any.L desiredi 74h of;- the driving mechanism for the conyeyoriofylo will. be readily apparent to those' skilled in. the

art. without. describing in detail all the specic structural` elements of the presses.

It will be observed in Figures 1 and 2 that.. an. electric. motor I2, carried by a suitable. supporting platform I3, is provided adjacentV one'y end. of.v the apparatus` providing a source of motive: power for driving the apparatus. The armature' shaft.A I4 of the motor has a pulley l5 xedA thereto and. about which and a pulley Iii carried at the. outer end of the lengthwise horizontally extending drive shaft il for the press 8 a drive.

belt. IB is trained for effecting rotation of the` latter. shaft. and pulley. The shaft Il has connection by means of any suitable known form of ilex-ble coupling I8 with a shaft I9. intermediate the pressesv 8 and 9, which shafty I3 in turn byk means. of a exible coupling 2t has connection with drive shaft. 22 for the printing press 9. A flexible. coupling 25` provides for connection of dryeshaft. 22. with an intermediate drive shaft. 2.4 extending between the presses 9 andY I0` and withthe. latter shaft having connection by means ofthe. flexible coupling 25 with a drive shaft 26 for the printing press Iii. The several above referred to shafts are arranged in substantially aligned relation lengthwise of the conveyor and provide for the substantial simultaneous' opera-1 tion of the several pressesA 8. S, and I0. Each of the drive shaftsv il, 22, andf26 has a gear 2l suitably keyed thereto; The gears 21` associated one with each of presses 8, 9, and l5 by the interconnection. ofthe several above described shafts are adapted to be driven conjointly with the gear' 21 and platen cylinder 33.

of each press functioning in the same manner in hereinafterwill be limited in the main to thepress. 8.

It; will be seen that the gear 21 of printing press 8- has meshing engagement with a blanket cylindergear 28 which has suitable connection with; the blanket cylinder 29 for eiiecting rotation of the latter. The gear 28 as shown has meshing engagement with the gear 3l which hasconnection with a shaft carrying a'lrst plate The gear 3| has meshingengagement with a gear 34, with the gear 3d being keyed. or otherwise secured to a shaft carrying a second plate cylinderdisposed above' and in juxtaposition of'the rst plate and platen cylinder 33.

Al. chain delivery mechanism for conveyingsheets.A to be printed through the presses and delivering, the printed. sheets upon the conveyor 6. as; diagrammatically shown in Figure. 2' comprisesfa chain. means 3T trained about gear means: associated with the*y blanket cylinder -29 and;lo wer ejector wheel means 33. The' chainl means-.37 is driven by the'rotation of the blanket cylinder-29 andif'desired'reference may be hadA toginy,l aforementioned patent for a detaildescription: of a'..specic1structure suitable for this` purpose. As disclosed in that. patent the chains; of the;7 chain delivery mechanism 3.1 are provided with; one; orv morefiaws o1;` clamps. 40. which'l are adapted to. grasp@ the lea-dirig edge; of'. ai sheet. to;

be printed by the machine for drawing the sheet through the printingcouple formed by the cylin. der 29 and the cylinder 33. As viewed in Figure 2 of the drawings the chain means travels in a counterclockwise direction so that when the jaw means 40 carried thereby is disposed in position to receive a sheet for drawing the same through the printing couple the jaw means is closed by any suitable mechanism to draw the sheet. to the left between the printing couple as viewed in Figure 2. When the jaw means reaches the position shown in Figure 2 it is adapted to be opened by any suitable cam or other trip mechanism for depositing the printed sheet upon the conveyor 6 which as will be clear from Figure 2 is disposed immediately below the ejector wheel means 39 of chain delivery mechanism 31. The sheets to be printed are caused to be fed by any suitable feeding mechanism between the printing couple formed by the cylinders 29 and 33 from the right hand side of the machine as viewed in Figure 2 and as indicated by the arrow 42. As previously indicated the blanket cylinder 29 is provided with a rubber or other type of transfer blanket of any suitable and known character. These blankets are removably secured to the blanket cylinder by appropriate clamping devices as is well known in the art. The blanket cylinder 29 in the embodiment of my invention herein disclosed is preferably of half the diameter of the plate and platen cylinder 33 with the latter cylinder being provided as shown diagrammatically in Figure 2 with a plate segment 45 and a blanket segment 46 which as is known are adapted to beremovably secured to the cylinder 33. The plate carried by the plate segment 45 embodies the printed matter to be reproduced on one side of sheets passed through the printing couple formed by the cylinders 29 and 33. The cylinder 35 is preferably of the same diameter of the cylinder 33 and in the embodiment o the invention herein disclosed it comprises or has associated therewith a second plate segment carrying any suitable known form of printing plate as indicated at 41. A suitable dampening means 49 is arranged with respect to the cylinder 33 for eiecting dampening of the printing plate carried by segment 45 thereof and further of a suitable inking mechanism 59 for effecting inking of the plate subsequent to dampening thereof in the clockwise rotation of cylinder 33. Similarly, the cylinder 35 has associated therewith dampening means 52 of conventional construction, and an ink fountain means 53 for effecting successive dampening and inking of the plate 41 upon the counterclockwise rotation of cylinder 35.

As shown the cylinder 35 and the dampening and inking means 52 and 53 respectively are carried in a suitable frame 55 which is adapt-ed to be detachably mounted at the upper end of the press by means of hinged connection at 56 and clamping means 51 for securing the unit including the cylinder 35 in position disposed above the cylinder 33. The clamping means 51 may comprise any suitable form of eccentricl clamping device for holding the unit 55 rigidly in position shown in Figure 2 and against an adjustable abutment 58 carried by the frame 59 provided for the support of the cylinders 33 and 29 and the inking and dampening mechanisms 55 and 49, respectively, together with the chain delivery mechanism and the driving instrumentalities previously referred to generally.

Preferably the blanket cylinder 29 and the cylinders 33 and 35 are of suitable dimensions for effecting the printing of two pages of printed 8 matter on both sides of a sheet of suitable dimension' fed between the printing couple of the pressl with of course the printing plates carried by the plate segments of the cylinders 33 and 35 providing for effecting of the printing of two pages on each side of a sheet fed to the machine. In the arrangement'of a small diameter blanket cylinder 29 and the two large diameter cylinders 33 and 35 as described it will be observed that the plate carried by the plate segment is first caused to be dampened by the dampening means 49 and then inked by the inking means 50 during a half revolution of this cylinder the inked image on the plate carried by the plate segment 45 is transferred to the blanket of blanket cylinder 29. The several cylinders 29, 33 and 35. are so arranged with respect to each other and driven by the aforedescribed gear means so that' the plate carried by the plate -segment 41 of the cylinder 35 is caused to be dampened by the dampening means 52 and then inked by the ink fountain means 53 with the rotation of the cylinder 35 being such with respect to the cylinder 33 so that the plate carried by the plate segment 41 is adapted to transfer its image to the blanket carried by blanket segment 46 of the cylinder 33. Upon effecting of the transfer of the inked image from the plate carried by the plate segment 45 to the blanket of the blanket cylinder 29, and transfer of the inked image from the plate 41 of cylinder 35 to the blanket 46 of cylinder 33 a sheet is caused to be fed between the printing couple formed by the blanket of cylinder 29 and the blanket of the blanket segment cylinder 33 and upon a full revolution of cylinder 29 with the blanket of segment 46 in register with the blanket carried by cylinder 29 printing of both sides of a sheet passing between the pair of blankets is effected simultaneously. With this arrangement of the several cylinders with respect to each other a single sheet having two printed pages on each side thereof is adapted to be delivered by the delivery mechanism 31 and disposed upon the conveyor 6 of the apparatus. If desired the dampening means 49 and inking means 50 may be eliminated in which event the cylinder 35 would be provided with a segment 5I carrying a rubber inking pad opposite the plate segment 41 thereof and in such modification the printing plate carried by cylinder 33 will necessarily need to be a rubber plate, electrotype or other like form of plate rather than an offset lithographieI plate. However, as previously indicated the latter arrangement probably would only be suitable when the amount of printed matter on the sheet is small.

4Assuming that it is desired to produce a twelve page newspaper, the plate segment 45 of press 8 will be provided with an appropriate plate for the printing of pages 2 and 11 of the newspaper, and theplate 41 will be of a character for the printing of pages l and 12 of the newspaper. In press 9 the cylinder 33 thereof will be provided with a plate for effecting the printing of pages 4 and 9 of vthe newspaper, and the cylinder 35 thereof will be provided with a printing plate to effect the printing of pages 3 and l0 of the paper. In press l0 the printing plate carried by `cylinder 33 thereof will be of a character for reproducing pages 6 and '1 of the paper and the plate carried by the-cylinder 35 will be for effecting reproduction of pages 5 and 8 of the paper. As previously related the presses 8, 9 and Il) are all operated substantially synchronously so that as a sheet is fed between the printing couple of each machine after transfer of the inked images from the several plates to the blankets of the cylinders 33 and of the blanket cylinders i29 for' each of the presses, the presses will substantially simultaneously each print and deliver a printed sheet bearing the pages aforesaid and deposit them in longitudinal alignment in a row upon the conveyor 6. When the apparatus is set into operation the motor I2 through the driving means above described effects continuo-us driving of the several presses 8, 9 and I so that they are adapted to deliver successive pluralities of printed sheets as described.

As illustrated in Figure 4 one of each of the sheets delivered by the several presses are collected in superposed relation and upon a group of sheets being collected as illustrated in this figure the group may be centrally folded along the dotted lines thereof as indicated to form a twelve page newspaper or pamphlet with the pages in series as illustrated in Figure 5.

In order to effect the collecting or collating in superposed relation of successive groups of sheets each comprising one sheet from each of the printing presses 8, 9 and lll, I propose to provide for `the intermittent advancement of the conveyor 6 or of the row of printed sheets during the intervals between the delivery of successive pluralities of sheets from the several printing machines The conveyor or row of previously printed` sheets is advanced during each of .the aforesaid intervals to the next succeeding printing station to have a sheet from the nextfr succeeding printing press disposed above themsheet or sheets advanced from the preceding printing press or presses.

`Referring again to Figures 1 and 2 it will be observed that a sprocket wheel Suis connected at the end of the drive shaft Il for the printing press 8 adjacent the coupling member la and about which sprocket 60 and a sprocket 62 disposed below the conveyor 6 a drive chain 63 is trained.

The sprocket 62 is connected or keyed to one end of a horizontally extending shaft G5, which shaft 65 adjacent its other endis supported in a bracket 6l and carries a bevel gear 65. The bracket Bi is formed as part of a support structure 63 for supporting a gear mechanism providing an intermittent drive for the conveyor 6. The bevel gear has meshing engagement with a bevel gear-69 carried by a shaft 70 and which shaft 1U carries a suitable disc or plate l! to which one end of a link 13 is pivotally connected -as at 'I4 with the other end of the link having pivotal connection as at 75 with a reciprocating sector member 16. engagement with a pinion 'VI including a one way clutch,` mechanism carried by the shaft 78. The shaftu'i carries a sprocket B about which and aspro'cket wheel 82 fixed .to a shaft 83 extending transversely of the conveyor 6, a suitable drive chain 85 is trained for effecting ro- Y tation of the shaft 83. The shaft 8371s journaled in suitablel bearing members 23E-86, with the `shaft intermediate its ends carrying a driving sprocket 81 for the conveyor 6. An endless chain 88 is chainedV about the drive sprocket 8T and anidler sprocket 9i] disposed at the forward or delivery end of the apparatus'.

` The drive arrangement last described is such that the sector 'it is adapted to bedriyen in a clockwisedirection as viewed in Figure 1 to effeet rotation the clutch pinion 'il with the pinionflfLupon such clockwise rotation of a sece torlv eiecting rotation of shaft 83 carrying the drive sprocket 87 of the conveyor to drive the The sector 'lhas meshing` conveyor chain in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure l. After the sector reaches its limit of travel or rotation in the clockwise direction the sector is rotated by means of the connecting link 'I3 in a counter-clockwise direction with the overrunning clutch of the pinion 'l'i upon this movement of the sector permitting return movement of the same without reversing the direction of travel of the ccnveyor chain 88. It will be observedthat with the continuous driving of the drive shaft l1 for the press 8 that the conveyor chain 88 of the conveyors means 6 is caused to be intermittently advanced a' predetermined amount as determined by the ratio of the gearing mechanism last described. The relation of the drive mechanisms for driving the several presses 8, 9, and I0, .by means of the drive shafts Il, 22, and 2S thereof, respectively, together with the driving mechanism for the intermittent advancement of the conveyor chain 88 is 'such that after the depositing of a plurality of sheets in a row by the several presses upon the conveyor as by means of the gripper jaw means lillv of the chain delivery mechanisms 37 of each of the machines, and before the delivery of the following successive plurality-of printed sheets one by each of the printing machine 8, 9, and I0, the conveyor is advanced so that the preceding sheet delivered by the press 8 is disposed below the delivery chain means ofthe press 9, and the preceding sheet printed by the press 9 is disposed below the chain delivery means of the press It! to have disposed thereon. in superposed relation'a printed sheet from each of the printing presses 9 and l0, respectively. The intermittent "advancement of the conveyor chain 88 when a plurality of printing presses such as the presses S, 9 and l0 are disposed in lengthwise alignment above the conveyor 88 is such that the printed sheets are advanced a distance equal to the lengthwise spacing between a pair of the printed sheets and the lengthwise dimension ofY a sheet in the row so that, for example, after the delivery of a successive plurality of printed sheets by the several presses in a row upon the conveyor the conveyor chain is advanced so that the sheet delivered by the press 8 upon the conveyor is disposed in a, position below the press 9 to have the next succeeding sheet delivered thereby in 'superposed relation over the printed sheet delivered by the press 8, and likewise in that advancment the sheet printed by the press 9 is. disposed in a position to have the following sheet printed by the press l 0 disposed thereon in superposed relation. In the initial starting up of the apparatusV three successive prlntand that the printing press 9 delivers a printed sheet inrsuperposed relation uponY the previously printed sheet delivered by the printing. press 8,

- and that-the'printingpress l0 delivers a sheet in superposed relation upon the conveyor upon a sheet-"printed in the previous Vprintinf.. f operation by the press 9 which is'superposed upon a sheet printed by the press 8 in the printing operation immediately lprevious thereto so that a group of sheets comprising one printed sheet from each of the printing presses 8, 9, and lil arel collated in supe'rpos'edrela'tion in the order shown in the typical example referred to and as illustrated in Figure 4 below the printing press |0.

It will be observed that the presses 8, 9 and I0 are caused to be continuously operated with the several cylinders of each thereof effecting the simultaneous printing of both sides of a sheet and the intermittent delivery of the sheets upon the conveyor 6 in a lengthwise row and with the row being advanced in timed relation to the intermittent delivery of the several printing machines to provide at the end printing machine of a collected group of sheets consisting of one printed sheet from each of the several printing presses. The conveyor means 6 preferably comprises a pair of spaced lengthwise extending angle iron members 92 and 93 between which the sheets are disposed by the chain delivery mechanism and with the conveyor chain being provided with appropriately spaced fingers 95 for engaging the sheets to advance them successively from press to press to be in position to have a sheet from each of the printing presses disposed in superposed relation upon the sheets deposited upon the conveyor from a preceding press or presses.

In the practice of my present invention when a newspaper or the like is for example to be composed of twelve pages as in the embodiment herein chosen for the purposes of disclosing my invention it is desirable to provide mechanism for effecting folding of a collected group of sheets as shown in Figure 4 along the dotted lines as previously described to provide a serial arrangement of the successive pages. 'I'o accomplish folding of such a group of sheets as shown in Figure 4, I propose to provide any conventional form of folding mechanism such as indicated at at the delivery end of the apparatus so that in' the stepped advancement of the conveyor 88 of the conveyor means 6 the collected group of sheets beneath the press I0 is delivered to a folding table |02 supported by the legs |03 adjacent the delivery end of the conveyor. Upon the delivery of a collected group of sheets upon the folding table I2 the folding of the sheets may be synchronized with the delivery of the collected group of sheets to the folding table by folding mechanism operating off of a cam |05, fixed to the shaft |06 supporting the cylinder 33 of the printing press |0. A roller or cam follower I6 is carried at the upper end of arm |01 which arm is pivoted intermediate its ends in a bracket |98 fixed to the side panel or frame member |09 of the press I0 and to the lower end of which arm 01 a link |08 is pivotally connected as at |09. at its other end with one end of a lever |0 fixed to a rotatable shaft ll extending transversely of the folding table |02. A transversely extending folding knife ||3 is fixed to shaft and upon rotation of the latter the folding knife is adapted to effect folding or creasing of the group of sheets along the dotted lines thereof as illustrated in Figure 4 and positioning the group of sheets between a pair of folding rollers ||5 ||5. The folded group of sheets may then be conveyed by a conveyor |l6 to the delivery end The link |08 has pivotal connection,A

of the apparatus at which the completed newspapers may be gathered or carried away by further conveyor means (not shown) to a loading platform or the like. It will be obvious of course that the conveyor E may be connected with any suitable driving means for driving the same or if desired the conveyor may be driven by means of the electric motor |2.

While I have shown what I consider to `be the preferred embodiment of my invention it will be understood that various modifications and rearrangements may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, a plurality of printing presses arranged in uniform spaced relation in a lengthwise row, each of said printing presses including a printing couple adapted when continuously rotated to print and deliver intermittently successive sheets, drive means associated with said presses for continuously driving the printing couples thereof in synchronism thereby to provide for the printing and intermittent delivery of successive pluralities of printed sheeets in a lengthwise row at uniform intervals, a conveyor arranged in juxtaposition lengthwise of said printing presses for receiving the successive pluralities of printed sheets from said printing presses, and drive means associated with said conveyor and including means operatively associating it for operation in predetermined time sequence with said first drive means for advancing said conveyor intermittently in successive steps from press to press during the intervals between the delivery of successive p luralities of printed sheets from said printing presses, whereby said conveyor is in a stationary position during the delivery thereto of successive pluralities of said sheets by said presses so that stacks of superposed sheets, one from each of said presses, are adapted to be delivered intermittently at the end of the conveyor toward which it is advanced.

2. In an apparatus for making newspapers and the like, the combination of a conveyor, a plurality of printing presses arranged in a row in uniform spaced relation lengthwise of said conveyor, said presses each having a printing couple disposed directly above said conveyor and including printing cylinders adapted upon rotation thereof for printing successive sheets at predetermined uniform intervals, sheet delivery means rotatable with one of the printing cylinders for each of said printing couples for delivering sheets printed thereby directly upon said conveyor, drive means for said presses for driving the same continuously and in synchronism, and said drive means including means associated with said conveyor for intermittently advancing the same in the intervals between the successive printing of sheets by the printing presses a predetermined amount to receive in superposed succession one printed sheet from each printing press.

3. In an apparatus for making newspapers and the like, the combination of a conveyor, a plurality of printing presses arranged in a row in uniform spaced relation lengthwise of said conveyor, said presses each having printing cylinders disposed directly above said conveyor and adapted upon the continuous rotation thereof for printing successive sheets at predetermined uniform intervals, sheet delivery means rotatable with one of the printing cylinders for each of said presses and extending generally transversely of said conveyor for delivering the printing sheets from said presses upon said conveyor, drive means for said presses for driving the printing cylinders thereof continuously and in synchronism, and said drive means including means associated with said conveyor for intermittently advancing the same in the intervals between the successive printing of sheets by the presses a predetermined king means including printing .cy1inders disposed directly above said conveyor fand adapted on rotation thereof for printing aj yplurality of pages on successive sheets at predetermined timed intervals, sheet delivery means'y rotatable with a printing cylinder of each perfecting printing means for each of said presses and extending generallytransversely of said rconveyor for delivering the printed sheets fron said presses upon said conveyor, drive Vmeans `for said presses for driving the printing cylinders thereof continuously and in synchronism, and said drive meansv including means associated T with said conveyor for intermittently advancing. lthe same in the intervals between the successivejiprinting of sheets by said printing presses a predetermined amount to receive in superposed succqession one printed sheet from each printing press. f

5. The apparatus of claimlfl` characterized by the provision ofV folding means, and means associated with the printing press at the delivery end of the conveyor and said foldingmiV means for drivingthe latter in timed sequence with respect to said 1 conveyor for folding the collected group o sheets at the delivery end of said conveyor on a line extending between the printed pages of the sheets.

WILLIAM WARD DAVIDSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 787,730 Dexter Apr. 18, 1905 1,253,247 Jennings Jan. 15, 1918 1,621,189 Brown Mar. 15, 1927 u FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 114,687 Great Britain Apr. 18, 1918 395,791 Germany May 18, 1918 318,384 Germany Jan. 24, 1920 

